Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the area of fasteners which are molded into foam seat buns in order to engage a seat cover, specifically a deep-groove fastener which can securely retain a seat cover within the groove of a deeply contoured seat bun.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various methods for holding a seat cover within the groove of a deeply contoured foam seat bun have been disclosed in the prior art:
Pedestals which hold the fastener strip up into the foam bun during the molding process, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,171,395 and 5,259,905, both to Gilcreast. These patents additionally employ a preformed foam wall which surrounds the pedestal just below the fastener strip to prevent fouling of the hooks or loops.
Plastic supports in the shape of a pointed ridge or xe2x80x9csteeplexe2x80x9d, over which the hook or loop fastener strip rests, are temporarily mounted to a mold. The bun is thus formed with a deep groove having the desired shape, with the hook or loop fastener integrally molded into this groove. A mating pointed support, with a mating hook or loop fastener attached to its outer surface, is affixed to the seat cover. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,005,242 and 5,101,539, both to Kennedy et al., exemplify this method.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,552 to Tillner, a pull-in rod installed within the groove in the seat cushion pulls the seat cover into the groove and anchors it there. The pull-in rod is not molded into the seat cushion during the forming process, but rather is installed into the seat cushion after the cushion has been formed.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,762,842; 5,827,546; 5,827,547; and 5,882,073; all to Burchi et al., disclose a seat cover anchoring system wherein a piping-like strip attached to the seat cover snaps into a corresponding mating groove molded into the seat bun.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,851 to Solie et al. discloses seat cover anchoring means wherein a hook fastener strip is placed in the bottom of the groove in the seat cushion. The hook fastener strip mates with a strip of loop material on the underside of the seat cover.
Other prior art patents disclose various hook-and-loop attachment methods, not for use in attaching seat covers to foam seat buns. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,338 to Handler shows a hinged hook fastener device which wraps around an inserted loop-covered member, in order to hold the loop-covered member in place. The loop-covered member is part of a shelf or shelf support. U.S. Pat. No. 3,475,810 to Mates shows rigid members joined by hook-and-loop strips, wherein the strips are in shear relationship to each other.
All these prior art methods have significant disadvantages, however:
Methods that employ a hook fastener strip placed in the bottom of the seat bun groove often do not have enough peel strength to adequately retain the seat cover in the groove. And if a wide enough area for hook-and-loop mating is provided at the bottom of the seat bun groove, then the groove cannot be very narrowxe2x80x94and a narrow groove in the seat bun is desirable in most situations.
Methods which use a steeple-shaped support, over which a hook or loop fastener strip is draped prior to molding the seat bun, involve multiple parts and are thus needlessly complex, difficult to execute, and costly. Adapting existing molds to use these methods is also difficult and costly.
Methods that use other seat cover anchoring elements, such as the piping-like strip and mating groove of Burchi et al., are unsatisfactory because they require a high degree of mating precision. If the mating elements are not placed precisely on the foam seat bun and the seat cover, the seat cover will fit too loosely or too tightly.
Thus it can be seen that a deep-groove fastener which is very simple in design and construction, yet is capable of producing a high-strength connection between the seat cover and the foam seat bun groove, would be a significant advantage over the prior art.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the invention are:
It is simple in design and construction, and can be easily manufactured in just one piece at low cost.
It is easy to use during the foam seat bun molding process, and does not require precise positioning and alignment.
It yields a high-strength connection between the seat cover and the groove in a deeply contoured foam seat bun.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
The invention is a deep-groove fastener which is in-molded into a foam seat bun, and which securely retains a seat cover within a deep contour groove of that seat bun.